Related Links

With the increasing popularity of amusement parks and roller coasters, there's been an explosion of related web pages and other Internet resources. These are the ones that I consider the most noteworthy.

Usenet Newsgroups

	rec.roller-coaster This newsgroup is the best place to go for discussing all amusement park topics, including roller coasters. It features up-to-the-minute news and plenty of unsubstantiated rumors.
	rec.parks.theme This newsgroup was created a couple of years after rec.roller-coaster, presumably to attract the theme park discussions. It didn't work. The best discussions still occur on rec.roller-coaster.
	rec.arts.disney.parks All aspects of Disney's theme parks are discussed on this newsgroup. Feel free to ask questions about the parks' rides, restaurants, entertainment, lodging, or anything else you can think of.

Enthusiast Clubs

	American Coaster Enthusiasts ACE is a worldwide club for roller coaster maniacs of all ages, with an emphasis on the preservation of classic coasters. Membership is somewhat pricey ($50/year), but I've been a satisfied member for ten years.
	Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada Richard Bonner is the managing director of this club, and his website provides valuable information on a wide range of coaster-related topics.
	European Coaster Club Late-breaking news and recent photos highlight this club's website, designed by Mark Cook. Their magazine, First Drop, contains plenty of rumors and reports about amusement parks around the world.
	National Amusement Park Historical Association Dedicated to the history and enjoyment of amusement parks, NAPHA offers some excellent information on their website, including a timeline of important milestones and the locations of many hard-to-find classic rides.
	Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain Membership information, other club details, and a UK park guide can be found at this attractive site. Also included are stories from current and past issues of AIRtime, the club's newsletter.

Directories and Databases

	About Theme Parks About.com digs for valuable resources on the Internet, with knowledgeable guides dedicated to specific topics.
	Amusement Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers Want to find out about amusement ride manufacturers? Looking for a used ride to buy, or just curious about their prices? AIMS maintains a great directory of behind-the-scenes information.
	Amusement Link One Source Jared Costanza has collected over 1500 amusement-related links, categorized and alphabetized. He also conducts an annual popularity contest to determine the top ten websites.
	AmuseNET If you're in search of amusement-related products or services, be sure to check AmuseNET's detailed list of companies. From rides to penny pressers, this website has pointers to practically everything an amusement park owner might need.
	InCoasterPaedia Chris LaReau has created a massive database of roller coaster trivia from the past and present, with a powerful search engine to find the answers you want. Curious how many coasters have been named Blue Streak? Step right up!
	Roller Coaster DataBase Similar in concept to InCoasterPaedia, Duane Marden's database focuses primarily on operating coasters. It features a flexible search capability with the results presented in table form, including photographs where available (many donated by me).
	World Waterpark Association If you can't resist water slides and wave pools, check out this site for information about the waterpark industry. Their handy Park Locator will help you find a waterpark to visit.
	Yahoo's Amusement and Theme Parks Although not quite as extensive as Tim Melago's directory, Yahoo does a fine job of organizing the world's amusement-related websites. To Yahoo's advantage, most of the site listings include a one-line description provided by the site's author.

Photos, Videos, and Models

	Allyn Fratkin's Coaster Images One of the earliest online coaster photographers, Allyn Fratkin is known for the excellent photos he posted to the FTP archive. I thank him for inspiring me to take up this hobby.
	Bobcoaster's Coaster Pages Bob Hooley created this website to share his many photographs of defunct coasters. He's also been devotedly posting photos documenting the construction of the new Knoebels Twister.
	Coasterphotos Jason Knutson's well-organized site contains photos of many theme parks, but it's especially notable for its great construction shots of the new coasters in Texas.
	CoasterQuest Being in the coaster construction business, Walt Reiss has taken photographs from viewpoints that I can only dream of. He also offers useful technical information, such as a description of a coaster's block system.
	GLBsCoasterZone Gary Borland has taken some incredible aerial photographs of Florida's theme parks, including Universal Studios' new Islands of Adventure. You won't find images like these anywhere else!
	Ken Denton's Roller Coasters When he's not maintaining the Coaster FTP Archive, Ken Denton is taking remarkable coaster photographs and point-of-view video. I'm especially fond of his photos from Stark Raven Mad at Holiday World.
	Montañas Rusas de Mexico "Montaña Rusa" is the Spanish phrase for roller coaster — literally, it means "Russian mountain". On this website, Milton Garduño Hernandez shows photos of several Mexican coasters, with comments in Spanish and English.
	photo.net When it comes to photography, Philip Greenspun is my idol. His site combines a vast collection of gorgeous pictures with page after page of detailed photo tips. Particularly valuable is his article about scanning photos for the Web. And he even has some cool shots of Coney Island.
	Ride Index European parks and fairs seem to get the newest flat rides long before they appear in the US. Hagen Hiersemann catalogs these crazy rides with enticing photos and descriptions in German and English.
	Steven Wilson's Rides, Towers, and More In addition to his beautiful construction photos of Six Flags Marine World and Paramount's Great America, Steven Wilson's site displays an interesting variety of Ferris wheels and skyrides.
	Theme Park Review Robb Alvey presents a wide variety of amusement park photos and trip reports on this site. His Guess The Neon Coaster quiz is especially creative — and tricky!

Unofficial Park Guides and History

	Around the World This guide to Worlds of Fun is the work of Jennifer Lovesee and Matt Laskowski. Even if you're already familiar with the park, you'll find its history enlightening.
	Coney Island History Site Jeffrey Stanton has written a comprehensive history of Coney Island's amusement parks, accompanied by many antique photographs and postcards. He also has a similarly informative website detailing the history of Venice, California.
	Guide to the Point Jeff Putz has created the definitive unofficial guide to Cedar Point. It's stylish and informative, with lots of useful strategy tips and a bunch of great photographs. Get to this site before you get to the Point!
	The Happiest Potties on Earth Sites like this are the reason why I love the Web — where else could you find a detailed guide to all of the restrooms at Disneyland? When nature calls, you'll know where to go.
	PlayRide The centerpiece of Robert Ulrich's site is his unofficial guide to Six Flags Over Georgia, but don't miss his stunning photos of the Georgia Scorcher stand-up coaster.
	Yesterland If you're a Disneyland fan, you'll want to visit this fascinating site. For your enjoyment and nostalgia, Werner W. Weiss presents the rides and attractions of Disneyland's past, with plenty of photos and entertaining descriptions.

News, Rumors, Facts, and Opinions

	Amusement Park Physics Every amusement ride is engineered according to the laws of physics. If you'd like to learn more about those principles, visit this well-crafted online exhibit.
	Amusement Ride Accident Reports and News Compared to driving a car or taking a shower, amusement rides are extremely safe. But accidents do happen occasionally — often caused by rider misbehavior — and Jared Costanza has collected some interesting reports.
	Amusement Today Gary Slade publishes this outstanding newsletter every month, taking the place of the defunct Inside Track. Visit his site for subscription information and a taste of Amusement Today's latest stories.
	Coasterville David Bowers is the mayor of Coasterville, a themed website focusing on — what else? — roller coasters. Among other tidbits, he provides a handy index of the photos on the Coaster FTP Archive.
	Imagination Portal Have you ever wondered what it takes to "imagineer" a theme park attraction? Nate Naversen writes a series of articles on that topic, and he also serves up some juicy behind-the-scenes details from Disneyland.
	Internet Wooden Tracked Roller Coaster Poll Every year since 1994, Mitch Hawker has conducted a poll on rec.roller-coaster to determine our favorite wooden coasters (and steel coasters as of 1999). His sophisticated ranking method prevents this poll from being a mere popularity contest — a great but rarely ridden coaster will beat a mediocre coaster that everyone has ridden.
	John A. Miller, Roller Coaster Designer and Builder Jim Barrick has put together a marvelous tribute to John Miller and his widely beloved roller coasters, including the Jack Rabbit at Kennywood. They sure don't make 'em like this anymore!
	RideZone Joel Styler created this stylish website to consolidate as much amusement park information as possible. You'll find many worthy descriptions and photos here, including an excellent spin-off site devoted entirely to defunct parks.
	Roller Coaster World Tony Rossi and Wayne Stuber feature some unique trivia games and collectors' items, including several nostalgic brochures from current and defunct parks.
	Schwarzkopf Coaster Net Here's a site by Michael Pantenburg showcasing the genius of Anton Schwarzkopf's steel roller coasters and other rides. Any Schwarzkopf fan will appreciate the detailed information and photos.
	Screamscape If you're hungry for amusement park rumors, this is the site to visit. Although these morsels aren't guaranteed to be accurate, webmaster Lance Hart usually has some reliable sources.
	The Trip Report When it comes to trip reports, nobody writes 'em like Mark McKenzie. His enthusiastic, heartfelt descriptions will transport your imagination to each amusement park he's visited, even if you've never been there yourself.
	Ultimate Rollercoaster Eric Gieszl is the creator of this snazzy site, which contains lots of news and helpful information as well as photos. The photography is admirable, and there's also a popular discussion board if your hunger for conversation isn't satisfied by rec.roller-coaster.
	Urban Legends: Disney Theme Parks Part of the Urban Legends Reference Pages, this site confirms or debunks a series of commonly held beliefs about the Disney theme parks. Is there really a basketball court inside the Matterhorn at Disneyland? The truth is in here.